


Whenever You Need Me

by revancequeen



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bittersweet, F/M, One Shot, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Pining Prompto Argentum, Short, supportive prompto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 09:36:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14734494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/revancequeen/pseuds/revancequeen
Summary: Friends. Sitting near a campfire in Duscae, Prompto knows that’s all they may ever be. But right now, all he wants is for her to know he cares.





	Whenever You Need Me

Though the night was cool, she sat in shadow instead of around the campfire with the others, leaning back against her dozing chocobo and taking small, sporadic bites of her dinner. Prompto grabbed a second helping with Ignis’ permission and went to plop down next to her, chattering away through a mouthful of food.

“Man, I’m  _ starving  _ after that hunt! Must be why this non-delivery pizza is so good. I mean, no offense to Iggy, but there’s just something about greasy comfort food that really--”

He swallowed, smile fading at the weak one she gave him in return. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Nothing,” she murmured, resettling her plastic plate on her legs. “Just tired from walking all day. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.”

“No, I get it,” he groaned. “Gladio was such a slave driver today.”

“He was just trying to get us to this Haven before nightfall.”

“I guess. We did get here with plenty of time before sunset. But now my legs feel like they’re going to fall off…”

She laughed, taking another bite of gourmet cheese pizza. “Same! Heh, at least it’s not just me.” 

She really did sound tired, but… there was more to her low, unenthused voice, like she was trying to hide something.

_ Is she hurt? _ His heart clenched until it ached. And then, another equally painful worry surfaced: _ She doesn’t think she can’t trust me, right? _

He scooted closer, looking carefully into her eyes. “You sure you’re okay? That anak did kick you pretty hard back there.”

She just sighed and set her plate on the ground, even though she had half a slice to finish off. “Yeah, I’m fine, Prompto.” She hugged her knees to her chest.

He pressed his lips together in a tight line. “Uh-huh, and I’m the King of the Chocobos.” He glanced down, hand flying to his pocket as he pulled out an energy drink. “Here, I have a potion if you--”

“I’m fine!”

He froze. Pushed the potion back into place. Squeezed his hands together in his lap.

“Oh. S-sorry.” 

Silence fell.

He finally rushed on semi-desperately, “Uh, w-well, Noct just whipped up a bunch of potions and stuff, so... even if you’re not hurt now, definitely ask for some next time you talk to him, ‘kay? Better safe than sorry!”

“Sure, next time.” 

She shot a glance at the prince sitting with the others and grimaced. It wasn’t just firelight and shadow shifting across her face, he was sure of it.

His stomach plummeted. 

“...Did you and Noct have a fight or something?”

“No. How could we fight when we’ve barely even talked the last couple of weeks?”

She looked at Noct again, her back hunched, and suddenly she wasn’t pretending to be fine anymore. Relief and anxiety welled up in him in equal measure. She was letting him in at last, but…

He wanted to be there for her.

He wanted to know why she was upset.

He was scared to know.

In the back of his mind, he already knew why, he’d known for years, and even now it threatened to bind his breath in his lungs.

“But... you guys talk all the time.”

_ Act normal. Act normal. Act normal. _

“Not like before we left the Crown City.”

“How come?” He asked quietly.

“Because he’s too busy writing _ love letters _ to Lady Lunafreya in that book of theirs.” She scraped up a pebble from the ground beside her and tossed it over the edge of the Haven.

Prompto frowned, pretending that it was his brain working at max capacity, not his heart rate. “Wait a sec. Do you  _ like-- _ ”

“Does it matter?”

“Um, no… I-I guess not.”

He felt something in his chest crumble at her curt reply. It must have shown on his face, because she sighed and said, “Okay, yes. I like a guy who’s technically my boss  _ and  _ engaged to someone else. And if  _ that  _ wasn’t perfect enough? It’s a political marriage but he’s head-over-heels for her anyway!” She threw up her hands with a short laugh. “What is my life?”

But then her hands fell, and she wrapped her arms around her knees again. She tilted her face towards him, the ghost of a smile tugging at her mouth. “Ugh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t snap at you like this. I’m the one who went and fell for royalty like an idiot--”

“You’re not an idiot!” Prompto burst out.

She choked out a noise that was almost a laugh.

“You’re not,” he insisted again, softly.

_ If anyone’s an idiot here, it’s me. Like I ever had a chance compared to... _

“...Thanks, Prompto.” Her smile softened as she looked at him. “Really. I’m sorry for taking it out on you.” She reached over to give him a quick hug, then grabbed her plate and climbed to her feet--ignorant of how her touch lanced cracks through his heart like a bullet through glass. “I think I’ll just go to bed now.”

“No, no, don’t worry about it! What are friends for? I’m gonna hit the hay soon, too, but first--” 

He made a show of stuffing his face with the last of his now-cold pizza. She laughed just like he’d wanted her to, and something compelled him to call out as she turned away:

“I mean it. If you ever want to talk about... anything, I’ll be here.”

She nodded, and the smile she gave him before taking her plate over to Ignis broke his heart all over again. Alone, he sank back into her chocobo's feathers, taking what comfort he could from its warmth as Gladio started to bank the fire.


End file.
